Chapter 4: 'Sister of Chaos'

"How many lights?"

"..."

"How many lights?"

That voice again. Calm. Cool. Cruel. Who did it belong to?

"You answer my question correctly. You get water."

"How. Many. Lights?"

The one with the mask. Equality. Everything equal. A voice that turned a city upside down, tore a family apart. Chilled her to the core. Amon...dead...he can't be here...unless I'm dead...then those lights. Three lights...is that the entrance to the after life...?

"You want to drink don't you? You can't stay silent forever. How many lights?"

Korra's eyes flickered up in the darkness, trying to focus with what little energy she had. She was bound to a chair with some pretty sturdy chains that were starting to dig into the flesh of her wrists and ankles. There was one other person in the room with her. The one who spoke to her, asked her all the questions she couldn't answer. If she didn't feel so drained then maybe she could visualize him a little more clearly. But he wasn't – he definitely wasn't Amon. He was bald. Like an air nomad. But not Tenzin.

Tenzin would never do this to her.

The only thing clear to Korra was three lights, powered by gas, that were placed inside grooves of the cave wall in front of her. Her stomach rumbled for the millionth time as she pulled forward slightly, the chains wrapped around the chair rattling under the strain. Korra hadn't answered much of his questions, mainly because they didn't make any sense, only seemed to confuse her. And when she got the questions wrong things didn't end well. The answers she gave never seemed to satisfy her tormentor.

However the dryness of her throat was becoming impossible to ignore. "Three lights. There's three lights."

"Wrong. There's four lights. You can clearly see that."

"Three lights! I'm not lying! There's only three lights!" Korra shouted as her interrogator stepped into the small light in the room, his grimace suggesting disappointment rather than any anger towards her. What was his name...? And how could he not see the same number of lights as her? There were three. There had always been three.

A sudden spike of pain rocked her body as Korra yelped in agony and jolted into the back of her chair involuntarily, electricity coursing through her veins as her head slammed back against wood.

"I didn't lie!" Korra retorted breathlessly as her limbs twitched frantically.

"You did. You're only seeing what you want to see. What you've been made to see by your mentors and elders," her captor spoke softly as he pulled away a long black cable. A coil.

"Please...I just...I just want some water..." Korra pleaded as her vision began to stabilize again. They'd been at this cruel game for two days straight.

"And you'll get some when you start to see clearly. Water is the element of change Avatar. When you are ready to become a force for true change, then I'll give you water. First you must see clearly with eyes unclouded."

"And how do I do that...?"

The bald man leaned into her face slightly and placed a hand on her shoulder. Korra couldn't help but relish the contact. It felt like years since anyone had touched her without it burning.

"You listen to what I have to teach you. Listen to what you could be. What you were always meant to be, then the lies you believe, the truth you hold so dear. Those will disappear," the man smiled softly. Then he turned to point towards the burning lights across the room. "There are four lights in this room. Are you starting to see that?"

Korra scrutinised them again in her hazy vision. Four lights. There were definitely four lights there this time. Four lights, clear as day. How had she only saw three until this point in time? Maybe she truly was blind...How long had she been in this chair that she couldn't even count?

"Four lights. I can see four..." Korra mumbled as she nodded her head.

The bald man smiled with pride. "Good. You are finally starting to see with true clarity. You may be the first Avatar since Wan to see the world for how it truly is without the interference of your past lives."

All Korra could do was nod again.

"I think it's time you heard the truth young Avatar. Who you really are. What you've really lost. And exactly what you are fighting for." The bald man placed a water skin to Korra's cracked lips and tipped the bottle back. Korra lapped it up desperately, sighing in relief as some of the cool liquid dripped down her dirt caped chin and neck. "Are you ready to listen?" the man questioned as he pulled the water skin back again.

"Yes...I'm ready."

"Good," the bald man smiled eagerly as he tipped the bottle back to the Avatar. "I'll start where any good story does. The beginning. Your name is Rei. You are an orphan of the Southern Water Tribe who grew up in Republic City. You are the Avatar..."

"When they said Air Nomadic culture was backwards they really meant it," Kuvira muttered as she stared incredulously at some bald, robed monks running a rake over a nearby flowerbed. "These people can't even air bend. What is the point in up turning your whole life and coming up here, to the middle of nowhere?"

Mako stared up in awe at the main tower which made up this particular air temple. A building that had stood for hundreds if not thousands of years. The only thing that remained of the Air Nation if Aang and Korra hadn't had something to say about it. "Better than living on the streets. At least they have a roof over their heads here and people who they can rely on. There's nothing more important than that."

Kuvira shot him an awkward glance before she focused on the foreboding outline of Korra's father a few meters ahead of them. Mako had made it his current mission to avoid walking with Tonraq if at all possible. He liked his head and his hair and wanted both to stay attacked to the rest of his body. The punishment for that was spending most of his existence with Su's captain who didn't seem to have ever left Zaofu.

"Whatever, we're not here to examine air nomad culture anyway. I can get all I need from a book," Kuvira groaned.

"No we're not. We're here to find and free Korra so she can save the air benders. You heard the Earth Queen's announcement. She's pretty much declared war on any air benders in the Earth Kingdom. 'Taken for questioning'. More like imprisoned, tortured and who knows what else," Mako retorted as he spotted Tenzin's flowing robes at the top of the marble stairs which led up to one of many meditation areas of the temple.

Kuvira glanced towards Tonraq before shifting over to Mako a little and leaned forward. "You really think the Avatar is still alive?"

"...I know she is..." Mako muttered quietly as he watched Tonraq and Tenzin shake hands.

"You don't sound so sure out of her father's ear shot," Kuvira noted before her expression softened a little. "Look, it's not like I want her to be dead. The Earth Queen seems to have totally lost her mind with all that power, it'll take more than just the forces of Zaofu to end her reign. We'll need the power of the Avatar. We need Korra to be alive."

"So that's how this is going to end? We're going to over throw the Queen?" Mako whispered sceptically. "Then what?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, we save the Avatar and the Air Nation, like you said," Kuvira replied quietly as she folded her arms behind her back when Tenzin strode towards them, Bumi, Kya and Jinora flanking him on either side.

"Captain, Mako," Tenzin nodded his head.

Kuvira bowed in response. Mako stuck to a simple nod. He knew Tenzin pretty well by now and had his respect at the very least. "Have you heard anything from Chief Beifong or Suyin?" the young detective asked.

"They've collected several air benders, but not without confrontation. The Earth Queen's forces have become ruthless in recent days. It seems they may be starting to realize that the Avatar is gone, that now may be there chance to act without consequence," Tenzin responded grimly as he glanced briefly to a group of new air benders sparring nearby with a heavy in his eyes. "There will be consequences."

"That's...that's not good..." Mako answered uncomfortably as he ran a hand through his hair. Bolin better be okay.

"Any word on Korra and Asami?" Tenzin asked with great concern as he kept a hand on top of Jinora's head.

"That's why we're here. We need Jinora's help," Mako spoke with determination.

Jinora's eyes widened a little then, but she stepped forward none the less. "What do you need?"

Mako crouched down to bring himself to the young air bender's level. He beckoned for her to come forward a little so he could whisper into her ear. Jinora complied immediately. "Are Korra and Asami alive?"

"Korra is alive but her energy is weak, and she hasn't be in the Spirit World since she disappeared," Jinora replied quietly.

"And Asami?"

"I've never been able to sense Asami. She isn't spiritually charged, so I don't know," Jinora exhaled with a great sadness.

Mako placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder despite the pounding of his heart. Korra's alive...but Asami...please don't be dead...I sent you away. Don't be dead. "It's not your fault. We'll find them both."

Jinora smiled weakly as she stepped back to her father's side.

Kuvira stepped forward then, with none of the tact or sensitivity of Mako. "Jinora. We need you to enter the Spirit World and seek out the Avatar or Miss Sato. Communicate with them any way you can. We need information about the Red Lotus and details about their current whereabouts if we want any hope in hell of finding them alive."

"I don't know if I can. Korra's energy is so fragile. I don't know if she can even enter the Spirit World in her current state. As for Asami, she's never been in the Spirit World before and it's unheard for a non bender to enter the Spirit World through meditation without some kind of guide or teacher."

"You can still try," Kuvira replied sharply as Tenzin glared at her. It seemed like the Captain didn't do much differentiation between children and adults. "We're still waiting on information from Lord Zuko about what his previous task force found regarding the Red Lotus. Until we have that information, there isn't much else we can do. In the mean time, you will enter the Spirit World and search for the Avatar and Miss Sato anytime you can."

Mako pulled Kuvira back by her arm then. She immediately shook from his grip. "Get your hands off me, detective."

"Let me deal with Jinora and Tenzin. You are going about this all the wrong way," Mako grumbled as he returned to grabbing the captain's shoulder.

"Don't you want to find your friends before they end up buried?" Kuvira questioned with narrowed brows.

"Of course, but if you want Jinora to work with you, you don't demand things from her or order her around. These people aren't your guards to command," Mako reminded her sharply as he released his grip.

"Damn air nomads," Kuvira grumbled to herself as she firmly folded her armour covered arms.

Mako hadn't actually realized that Jinora had moved to stand directly in front of them. The young air bender stared up at them with a real fire in her eyes. Is she going to kill us or throw a book at us?

"Don't act like I'm some helpless kid," but you are a kid. "I'll do whatever it takes to get our family back. Captain Kuvira is right. We need to keep up with the Red Lotus if we want to catch them off guard, otherwise we'll never see Korra or Asami again."

Mako would've probably sugar coated it a little more, but yup, that was the gravity of the current situation. Many lives were on the line, and Jinora sadly happened to be wise enough and mature enough to understand that fact.

Kuvira was giving Mako the smuggest glance out of the corner of his eyes. She seemed like the kind of person who didn't like to be wrong, and probably wasn't often. That or she was Suyin's pet. The Metal Clan leader treated Kuvira like a member of her inner circle, but they didn't seem to be biologically related.

"Jinora, if you feel you are up for the task. You are excused from your chores for the day. Kya, please go with her, keep an eye on her physical body," Tenzin indicated as he nodded to his older sister.

"What about me?" Bumi whined.

"The rest of us need to have a conversation about the current situation with the Earth Queen," Tenzin replied briskly as he beckoned for the new arrivals to follow him inside the temple. "I'm expecting some news from Chief Beifong in the next hour."

Hopefully it was the good kind. The twisting of Mako's gut told him otherwise. There wasn't such a thing as good news, not truly. Everything had a cost. Even good things. Especially good things.

"Gonna stand there all day?" Kuvira interrupted with a firm hand against his shoulder. "You can brood later. Right now we've got to stop history repeating itself, and stop a war. Pretty sure that can all be covered in an afternoon."

Mako almost laughed at the absurdity of it all as he followed Kuvira inside. A war and afternoon tea. Sounded like something Team Avatar would get involved in up to their necks. Unfortunately two of their members were already buried in this mess well above their heads. Stay safe guys. And if you can't do that. Stay alive.

Ghazan watched from the corner of the room as Zaheer went through the same line of questioning again and again, drumming in all the information he conjured up to give the Avatar a very different and much more tragic history, one that Zaheer was convinced would make Korra loyal to the Red Lotus and most importantly believe in the Red Lotus ideology.

"Again. Your name. Your true name."

The Avatar's water tribe garb had been tossed in a trunk, replaced with the standard clothing of any Red Lotus sentry. Armour plating and black cloth. This wasn't the same girl who Ghazan had brought here. Her face was scarred with little lines on her chin and forehead, on account of how much the Avatar had struggled initially when Zaheer had brought her to this little room, to reprogram her as he described.

"Rei. Born in the Southern Water Tribe but grew up in Republic City."

Korra said it with confidence. She owned that new name. That new identity and history, Zaheer smiled at every word that came out of her mouth. Ghazan wasn't so convinced. This new girl was still Korra underneath it all, no matter what Zaheer did. He couldn't erase the former entirely. Not with a personality and spirit as strong as that one.

"And your parents?"

Korra wasn't bound in chains like she had been for the rest of the week. Zaheer was really taking a risk there. I hope this girl is worth it.

"Dead, since I was two. When I was found to be the next Avatar."

"Why?"

"Because I was found to be the next Avatar."

"Who?"

"The Earth Queen. She wanted me for herself, to raise me as her own weapon against the rest of the four nations."

"But the Red Lotus sheltered you in Republic City. We raised you to bring about true balance," Zaheer commented as he paced back and forward.

Again Korra nodded. "And when the Air Nation were reborn, I tried to protect them from the Queen with the help of my friends...but I...I couldn't save them...the Earth Queen attacked us. I lost my memory from a head wound," Korra grimaced as she pointed to the scar on her forehead. That was actually Ming-Hua's work with some ice rather than the Queen. Still, it was a nice piece of physical evidence. "And my friends died. The person I...the person I loved..." Korra's voice began to crackle a little here as she wiped away a tear.

"Died," Zaheer finished. "But not in vain. The Earth Queen still means to do harm to the Air Nation. But you Rei. You can stop her. Only you can stop her. You were always meant to be a force for freedom and change. The Earth Queen is the biggest obstacle to that change."

Korra stepped forward with clenched fists, a shadow falling across her face. "And I'll kill her." Then Korra turned to Ghazan at the corner of the room. The bearded man prepared himself to have to lava bend. "Give me your knife."

Ghazan looked to Zaheer and then to Korra. "Rei is your sister, Ghazan. Give her your knife," Zaheer commanded softly as the Avatar stretched out a grazed hand.

"Here," Ghazan grumbled as he tentatively handed across an ornate blade. The only piece of his family he carried.

Korra took it with a humble smile before she brought the knife behind her head. Shit. Is she going to kill herself?!?p

Just as Ghazan was about to knock the blade out of the Avatar's firm grip a quiet swoosh filled the air. Dark brown hair drifted to the floor as the Avatar shook her head before passing the knife back. "Easier to fight with," Korra commented quietly as she adjusted her new hair style.

Zaheer nodded his approval as the last piece of Korra was cut away. "You may return to your allocated chamber for now, Rei. I will speak to you later."

The Avatar did as was told promptly, heading to a small bedroom beside Zaheer's, one that was a good distance away from the rest of the group's quarters and any Red Lotus prisoners.

Ghazan wandered over to his life long friend. "I don't know about this...she seems. Unstable. At least put her in some chains."

Zaheer placed a hand on his shoulder. "That would only make her hostile to us. Trust me on this like you've trusted me with everything else so far. I know what I'm doing. We treat Korra like our family and she will believe it's the truth." Let's just hope you've not become over confident in your 'air bender rebirth'.

"What about Sato then? If we ain't going to ransom her then maybe it's time to get rid of her. Plenty of ocean nearby to drown her," Ghazan suggested quietly as the Avatar disappeared from view.

"Sato still has a purpose here," Zaheer replied thoughtfully.

"...Go on then."

Zaheer turned to look him right in the eye. "From the information I managed to pull from a more cognitive Korra earlier in the week, it seems our young Avatar had quite the affection for Miss Sato. I imagine that Rei will too, given time."

"How adorable," Ghazan replied with feigned interest.

"Useful would be the appropriate word. We'll keep the two apart for now, until I can be sure Miss Sato won't bring up the Avatar's past."

"Then what?"

"Miss Sato in expendable you would agree, but she has her uses. If our new Avatar builds that same connection to our prisoner, Miss Sato will prove to be an excellent test of Korra's loyalty to the Red Lotus."

"That is very useful, and none of us have to die over it. Just how I like it," Ghazan replied with a grin as he swigged back some ale. "Bet you're glad I brought that rich bitch back from the desert now?"

"Very."

End Notes

Wasn't that just a walk in the park?

If anyone has ever read the book '1984', then you'll know exactly what messed up stuff was happening in that first section. This will be the last chapter from Korra's POV for sometime, got plenty of other characters to hold together /

Hope you enjoyed this slightly shorter chapter anyway.

Any questions go and ahead and shoot, as well as general feedback. I'm taking this fic as slowly as I can, but it is insanely tempting just to jump to major plot points ahah, hence I cut down on an Asami POV in this chapter. Slow things down a bit.

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